The Damsel, The Prince, and the Warlock
by ErinnMellas
Summary: When a beautiful girl comes to live in Camelot, her heart is captured by Arthur, but at the same time she captures the heart of Merlin. Conflicts arise and hearts are broken. R&R, please! [Has been cancelled. Apologies!]
1. Lost and Found

A/n: This is the edited version of Chapter One. I would like to thank SmithsonianGirl for her very helpful suggestions for this fic. After I reread the first chapter, I was all, "Wow, she's totally right!" So I hope this version is an improvement. I'd also like to thank KittenEm for your suggestion, too.

Xeryn was starving. She hadn't had anything to eat and hardly anything to drink for the past week. As she leaned against her equally weak horse's neck, she began wondering if she would die like this: cold, alone and lost in this forest. All Xeryn wanted was to escape her father and that stupid Harold, the man she was betrothed to marry. For a week she had been traveling, trying to find Camelot, so she could live with her brother. He should be a knight by now and was probably living in the castle.

Xeryn felt her awareness ebbing away as she grew more and more exhausted. Her horse stumbled along, whinnying pathetically as it stopped to nibble at a small patch of yellowed grass. Finally, her vision blurred and went black. The last thing Xeryn felt before she passed out was the ground slamming against her back as she fell off her horse and onto the forest floor.

…

The girl Merlin and Gaius had just brought back from the forest didn't stir. In fact, she was hardly breathing.

"She's everything but dead, Gaius," Merlin said quietly.

"Now, don't draw conclusions so fast, Merlin," Gaius replied sharply, as though he didn't want admit the girl would die. "She looks like she was attacked."

Gaius performed a quick examination of the girl. His expression was serious. "She's not bleeding internally, which is good," he noted, "but I need to clean and dress these wounds before they become infected."

Gaius mixed up some herbal remedies and began bandaging the many cuts and scrapes on the girl. It had been a good thing he was out searching for rare herbs at the same time the girl collapsed. Merlin had found the girl unconscious and lying on the ground next to her horse. Gaius had tried his best, but he couldn't preserve the poor horse's life. He was too undernourished and exhausted. Though Gaius hated the thought of putting down such a beautiful creature, the deed had to be done. The girl, however, had a fighting chance. Gaius thought that she was most likely attacked by bandits and barely escaped.

Merlin sat on the table, like he always did. He studied the girl curiously as Gaius went about his work. If she was attacked, Merlin thought, it wouldn't be much of a surprise. She _was_ a rather pretty girl, with long, wavy blonde hair, dark lashes and pale skin. Bandits wouldn't be able to resist her looks. As she lied perfectly still on the bed, the slight rise and fall of her chest the only indication that she was alive, Merlin thought her face was unusually peaceful after going through such pain. She reminded him of the porcelain statues he would sometimes come across in the market. Somewhere in the back of Merlin's mind, he hoped that this particular patient would live.

"Gaius, do you think-" Merlin began.

"She will die?" Gaius finished. He stared intently at the girl as he continued his work. A moment of silence passed before he spoke again. "She should live," he finally rasped, "but there is always that slim chance…" The rest of the physician's sentence trailed off.

"Perhaps we could use magic?" suggested Merlin.

Gaius turned to glare at the young sorcerer. "Merlin, you know we only use that as a last resort. Remember what happened last time?"

Merlin pretended to be greatly interested in his feet to avoid Gaius' gaze. The last time he had used magic to heal a patient, Prince Arthur had walked in just as Merlin was saying the spell. There was the slight chance that he _had _seen but simply chose to ignore it; however, Merlin quickly dismissed this idea because it would be very unlike Arthur. After that incident, Gaius told Merlin to only use magic when it was absolutely needed.

Merlin sighed and leaned back on the table, which caused Gaius to remind him sharply not to do so. He rolled his is eyes and sat down in a chair, leaning back on two of its legs.

…

_Xeryn was in a forest. She kicked her horse lightly and sped her up to a trot. Suddenly, there was a noise behind her. It sounded like something dropped had onto the forest floor. Xeryn whipped around but saw nothing. Urging her horse to a canter, the noise sounded again, this time followed by a grim laugh._

"_Now, darling," chuckled a deep man's voice. "It's dangerous for such a pretty lady to be going about alone in a forest."_

_Xeryn turned her horse around to face a man in tattered clothing. She gasped, for she immediately knew he was a bandit. "L-leave me alone," she warned hopelessly. She struggled to remember the defense movements she had been taught a few years ago. They were supposed to be easy to remember, but not one came into her whirling mind._

_The man advanced, causing her to let out a small but frightened whimper; her horse whinnied and backed up nervously. Xeryn's heart pounded in her chest. Another man jumped out of a tree behind her, equally menacing as the first. "I don't think that's going to happen," he said, the silver of a blade flashing in his hand._

"_Go away!" Xeryn exclaimed, giving her horse a sharp kick, making her turn away and launch into a frantic gallop._

_Unfortunately, one of the bandits had jumped in front of the mare, causing her to rear up in surprise and send Xeryn sliding off her back. Xeryn hit the ground on her back, knocking the wind out of her. As she gasped for breath, the first man grabbed her arms while the other ravaged her saddlebags, stashing all her food and money._

"_Let go of me!" Xeryn screamed, aiming a hard kick at her captor's groin._

_He fell over in pain while his companion rushed over and whacked Xeryn hard on the head with the handle of his dagger. She fell to the ground, blood spilling onto the leaves as both bandits kicked, punched, and cut her almost to the point of unconsciousness. Not knowing exactly what direction she was going, Xeryn rolled away from the thrashing hands, feet and blades. She heard her horse whinny threateningly next to her and turned just in time to see her rear up. Her front hooves came crashing down on the man Xeryn had kicked earlier. Using the horse's side for support, she struggled her way back onto the saddle._

"_Go, Jessamine!" she shouted her horse's name. Jessamine obliged her command and galloped off before the men could catch up._

_Xeryn began to feel dizzy and sick to her stomach from the taste of her own blood in her mouth. She had been traveling for at least a week with pretty good health despite her wounds. But now the fact that she had no food or clean water to drink was catching up with her frail body and weak horse. Xeryn leaned against her horse's neck. Moaning slightly, she blacked out and slid off her horse._

…

Xeryn woke with a start. Finally, her nightmare had ended. Opening her eyes, she did not recognize the place she was in. From the tables clad with potions, elixirs and vials, she guessed she was in a physician's room. But where? she thought to herself. Xeryn was definitely not in the forest, or Avalon.

"Gaius, she's awake." A voice to her left startled her.

A boy with black hair and bluish-gray eyes sat in a chair at a small table. He looked like he had been pouring over a book. Judging by his clothes, he must be a peasant or a servant.

An old man stumbled into the room with chin-length gray hair. "Good," he rasped, "she's been asleep for almost a day and a half."

He strode over to Xeryn and kneeled by the cot she was laying on. "My name is Gaius. I am the doctor. How do you feel?" he asked gently. "Can you speak?"

Xeryn had to strain her throat to talk. "Water…" was all she could manage. Her throat felt like someone had lodged a strip of sandpaper down in it.

Gaius understood and tipped a glass of water to her lips. After Xeryn had moistened her throat enough to talk, she cleared her throat. "Well, to tell you the truth, I don't exactly feel good. My body is racked with pain, obviously."

Gaius chuckled. "Well then, what is your name?"

"Xeryn. Xeryn Tarragon."

Gaius furrowed his brow and pondered thoughtfully at the name. After a moment, he asked, "Where is most of your pain stationed?"

Xeryn examined herself mentally. "My head," she decided. "I remember being hit rather hard there."

Gaius nodded as though making a mental note to himself. "I'll fetch some herbs to help with the pain."

He disappeared through a door. Xeryn turned to the black-haired boy. He had closed his book and was now tapping his fingers on the table anxiously.

"Are you his servant?" Xeryn asked curiously.

He smiled. "No, I'm Prince Arthur's servant. The name's Merlin, by the way."

Xeryn nodded, but regretted it as it sent pain screaming through the base of her neck. She clenched her teeth hard in order to keep from crying out in pain. Only after taking a moment to compose herself and take a deep breath did she speak again.

"Nice to meet you Merlin. Where am I?" she inquired.

Merlin leaned back in his chair. "You're in the court physician's chambers in Camelot."


	2. Prince Arthur

Prince Arthur strode angrily down the castle halls. Where was Merlin? He had sent two servants in the past hour to fetch him and yet he hadn't turned up. Merlin had been acting strange lately. He was late at almost everything, now. The previous day, Arthur almost had to cancel a hunting trip with a couple of other knights because his servant failed to show up with his hunting equipment. That earned him a day in the stocks, Arthur recollected with a smirk despite his anger. Merlin was usually late to his chores, but not as frequently as now. He was quickly becoming to be a sad excuse for a servant. Even King Uther was beginning to consider his decision to make Merlin Arthur's servant.

As Arthur stormed down a corridor he almost ran head on into a handmaiden carrying a tray of food. She jumped back in alarm just in time to dodge the prince in his angry stride. Rounding a corner, he angrily entered Gaius' chambers without knocking.

"Merlin!" Arthur exclaimed.

The young servant stood up from his seat at his arrival. "Yes, Sire?"

Arthur glared at him. Was he really this stupid? "Don't 'Yes, Sire' me, idiot. I've sent two servants to fetch you. Why haven't you come?"

"My apologies, Sire," Merlin replied graciously. "I've been assisting Gaius with his patient."

Arthur looked at the small cot the physician's patient's usually rested in. A young girl occupied it now. She looked like a servant who had been beaten badly in her dirty and tattered clothing. She was looking at him with emerald green eyes full of wonder and curiosity.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Xeryn Tarragon," she replied in a voice that reminded him slightly of Morgana's. It resembled a beautiful chime, or a bell dinging softly. Though it was tough and perseverant at the same time, not wanting to give up easily. "May I ask your name?"

Arthur bowed his head slightly it greeting and replied, "Arthur Pendragon, crown prince of Camelot."

Xeryn smiled, bringing light to her bruised face and a glimmer to her eyes. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Prince Arthur. I would curtsy, but seeing as I can't stand I don't think that would be a very bright idea…"

Her words echoed in Arthur's mind for a moment. Surveying Xeryn's wounds, they looked pretty serious. Where was Gaius? Shouldn't he be treating her with some herb remedy or something? Just then, Gaius came into the room holding what looked like an elixir. "Prince Arthur," greeted with a small bow, "what brings you here?"

"I was just getting Merlin," Arthur replied. Turning to his servant he ordered curtly, "I need you to do my laundry, sharpen my sword and polish my armor in time for my next sparring match tomorrow evening. Now," he added sharply.

Merlin threw a glance at Gaius, who nodded. "I will take care of Xeryn, Merlin. Go along and do what Arthur tells you."

Merlin took one last look at Xeryn before hurrying out of the room. Arthur motioned Gaius over to him and lowered his voice. "That girl, Xeryn," he said quietly, "She will be alright, won't she?"

Gaius eyed him curiously. Usually Arthur didn't give a hoot about his patients. His behavior was definitely odd. "Of course, Sire. She requires only a few more days to rest and heal."

Arthur looked over at Xeryn. She either hadn't heard the quiet exchange of words or was simply eavesdropping nonchalantly. When she met his gaze the corners of her mouth tugged upwards slightly in a small smile.

"Very well," Arthur said in a normal tone. "I'll be off, then."

Gaius bowed and moved over to his table crowded with various elixirs. Arthur turned on his heel and walked into the hallway, closing the door behind him. He stood in the hallway, wondering what to do. Merlin was off doing his chores, and Arthur didn't have any meetings or anything to attend. Part of him wanted to stay in Gaius' chambers just to make sure that Xeryn would be okay. He paused, surprised with himself. Why would he want to do that? She was just another patient. There wasn't anything special about her! Arthur shook his head to clear his confused thoughts. Perhaps he wasn't getting enough sleep.

…

"He seems nice," Xeryn commented after Arthur had left.

"Prince Arthur is a good man, despite what others say about him." he replied in a voice filled with admiration. "He is a natural born leader, and he'll make an excellent king someday."

Xeryn nodded slightly and stared off into space. Arthur was polite for a prince. Some of the visiting royalty back in Avalon wouldn't dare to address someone in such a state as herself. He bosses Merlin around a bit, but why wouldn't he? After all, he _was_ his servant.

Gaius handed Xeryn a vial filled with a metallic green liquid. "Down this is one, it doesn't exactly taste like honey."

Xeryn tipped the liquid into her mouth and almost gagged at the foul taste. She swallowed it reluctantly but quickly. Almost immediately most of the throbbing pain in her head began to subside, as well as some of her other pains. She thought the medicine would've only helped her head stop hurting.

"I added some other herbs to help with a little bit of everything," Gaius explained as though having read Xeryn's thoughts.

"Thank you, Gaius," she thanked graciously as she felt her tense muscles ease.

"Xeryn?" Gaius asked suddenly.

"Yes?"

"What were you doing in the forest?"

Xeryn looked down at her blankets. "It's a long story," she explained.

Gaius understood that she didn't want to recall painful memories at the moment. She would have to eventually, though. He nodded and came over to her bed. "Do you think you can sit up?" he asked.

Xeryn used her arms to gingerly push herself up. It hurt some, but the pain was tolerable. She propped herself against the pillow and sat up.

"Very good," Gaius said. He instructed Xeryn to do a few more stretches, occasionally making a quiet note to himself. He nodded thoughtfully. "It looks like all of your bones are still intact. Do you want to try standing up?"

Xeryn thought about his offer. She didn't want to stress her muscles and injuries any more than she should, but after a moment she shrugged. "I can try."

"Alright," Gaius began. "Move your legs over the edge of the cot so your feet are touching the ground." He pulled the blanket back so Xeryn could move better.

Though it hurt a little, she did what Gaius said.

"Now slowly shift your weight to your legs and feet," Gaius instructed. He followed Xeryn's movements as she obeyed.

She nodded, and this time the pain in her neck wasn't nearly as bad. In fact, it hardly hurt at all. Little by little, using the headboard of the bed for support, she stood up. At first pain throbbed in her legs, but as the muscles stretched it went away. Smiling, Xeryn took an experimental step. Surprised that she kept her balance, she walked a full circle around the small cot.

"Great job, Xeryn!" praised the old physician. "You can walk around for a little longer, but you still need to rest so your other injuries can have a chance to heal without disturbance. You'll need to walk for a while each day to stretch your muscles and get them used to movement again. As long as you don't stress yourself, you'll be healed in no time."

Xeryn smiled and continued to circle the bed. It felt good to walk again. Her legs had been getting stiff from lying down for so long.

"Arthur's bound to tell King Uther of your arrival," said Gaius, "so you need to be ready to speak to him in a few days.

"I need to tell him why I was found almost dead in his forest, don't I?" Xeryn guessed.

Gaius nodded. "And Uther needs to make sure you aren't a witch, so don't give him any reason to suspect you are of magic." He paused and lowered his voice. "You aren't of magic, are you?" he asked nervously.

Xeryn shook her head. "No, but sometimes I wish I was."

"Well, you certainly don't want to say that in front of Uther. He'll have you burned at the stake for it without a second thought."

…

Arthur pondered on what he was supposed to do. He usually didn't have much free time because he was constantly attending meetings about battle plans and having to train new knights. Not to mention he had to keep up on his own skills by practicing with Merlin, not that Merlin was any good at blocking his moves. So when he did have a few hours of time to do whatever he pleased, he always ended up bored. Arthur's thoughts drifted to Xeryn. Her emerald eyes were mystifying, as if you could fall into them like a pool of water. Then he remembered Sophia. She had tried to sacrifice his soul so she could have an immortal life by simply winning his heart. Xeryn could be like her, but something inside him denied the theory, as if it just couldn't be possible.

After a few minutes of just lounging around, Arthur finally decided to tell his father of Xeryn's arrival. As he entered the King's court, Uther was discussing something with a some knights grouped around a table. Arthur's father glanced at him and dismissed the knights, who exited quickly.

"Arthur," greeted Uther.

"Father," he returned his father's greeting.

"You have come to speak with me?" guessed Uther.

Arthur leaned against the edge of the table. "I have found out why Merlin has been falling behind on his duties," Arthur replied. When the king gestured for him to explain, he continued. "He seems to have grown quite fond of Gaius' new patient."

"Who might this be?" King Uther questioned.

"Xeryn Tarragon," replied his son.

"What is she doing in Camelot? And how did she end up in Gaius' chambers?" inquired Uther curiously.

"I don't know, Father," Arthur said with just a hint of annoyance. Why did his father always expect him to answer all the questions? He could just ask Gaius or even Xeryn herself. Of course Arthur wouldn't say this to his father's face as he would most likely be thrown in the dungeon for badmouthing the king.

Uther paused thoughtfully for a moment with his gloved hand on his chin before he spoke again. "Well, once this Xeryn is presentable I would like her to explain her reason being here."

Arthur could tell by the tone in Uther's voice that the conversation was coming to a close. "Of course, Father," he replied with a small bow.

His father said a quick goodbye to him before Arthur walked out into the hall. Now that that was over with, Arthur hadn't the slightest idea what to do next. Shrugging, he decided to check on Merlin and make sure he was doing his chores properly. Walking through the castle corridors, not thinking about anything in particular, Arthur found himself in front of the door to Gaius' chambers in no time at all. Again, he entered without knocking. Gaius was standing at his cluttered table, putting some herbs into a mortar. He greeted him with the usual bow. Arthur was surprised to see Xeryn standing up and walking.

As their eyes met again, Xeryn's green eyes shined. "Hello, Sire," she said in that unique voice of hers.

"Please," the prince replied, "you can just call me Arthur."

Xeryn tried a clumsy curtsy and almost fell over in the process. "Maybe that's still not a good idea," she noted quietly to herself, turning her back to Arthur to hide her blush.

Arthur looked at the bandages that covered her legs. He turned to Gaius, looking concerned. "Gaius, surely she shouldn't be standing yet? Look at the seriousness of her injuries."

Gaius sighed and paused in his work. "Arthur, I am the doctor and therefore I know what is best for her. Merlin is in his room," he added, correctly assuming that the prince had come to check on his servant.

Arthur nodded and muttered a thank you as he crossed the main chamber to the door leading to Merlin's room. He opened to door and had to step back a pace to get a full view of the mess that was his servant's room. Merlin was sitting on his bed, polishing Arthur's armor. The servant looked up from his work at his master.

"Sire," he said automatically, "Do you need me for anything?"

"I was just making sure you were actually doing your chores," Arthur replied, wrinkling his nose at the pile of clothes lying by the bed. "Tell me, Merlin, have you ever heard of personal hygiene?" He opened the large cupboard that stood next to the door. It was empty. "You do know what this is supposed to be used for, don't you?"

Merlin rolled his eyes slightly, but the prince caught the small movement. Arthur smirked. "Aw, cheer up, _Mer_-lin. You have a nice, long combat training session with me to look forward to when you're done."

The young servant sighed. Returning to his work, he mumbled, "yes, Sire…"

Arthur took one last glance at the ghastly mess of Merlin's room and stepped back out of the door, shutting it behind him quietly. Gaius was now handing Xeryn some kind of medicine.

"This will help strengthen your weak muscles," he was explaining to her. "Lucky for you, burdock root is sweet to the taste. Drink up."

Xeryn nodded and obeyed Gaius. The physician went back to the table and started tidying it up.

"What was in the medicine you gave her?" Arthur asked. He wasn't sure why, but he wanted to know.

Gaius glanced up at the curious prince as he replied, "Burdock root for her sore muscles, and chamomile for her wounds."

Arthur nodded, pondering the curious look that Gaius was giving him. "What?" he asked.

Gaius shook his head. "Nothing, Sire. Nothing at all."


	3. Discovery

Baldric leaned back against his chair and sighed deeply. Questions whirled in his mind. Why did she leave? Where did she go? Was she even alive? He shook his head and took a deep swig of ale from his mug.

Ellen, his wife, was washing dishes in the wash basin in the messy kitchen. Pots and pans hung from a rack next to the basin, and below the rack was a wooden drawer full of tarnished cooking utensils.

Ellen didn't seem worried at all after their daughter ran away from home. She was like that with everything. Nothing was ever going to go wrong; it was always going to turn out right. Ellen seemed to think they lived in a fairytale, where everything had a happy ending, and Baldric often got annoyed at her perky positive attitude.

"Baldric," his wife addressed him softly, "Xeryn will be okay. I'm sure of it."

"How can you be so sure of this, Ellen?" he retorted, "We don't even know what direction she went in, let alone where she was going. What if she was attacked? Xeryn hasn't a clue how to defend herself. She wouldn't stand a chance!"

Ellen sighed and put down a bowl she had just dried off. She sat down next to her husband and put a hand on his shoulder. "Xeryn is smarter than you think she is," she said, "You underestimate her more than you should." Ellen paused before she continued speaking. "When we find her, perhaps you should let her choose her own husband."

At this suggestion, Baldric stood up with fire in his eyes. "No!" he stated firmly in a loud tone. "Absolutely not! You know we are short of money and it was pure luck that knight fell for Xeryn! I haven't had to bet so much money in years!" He took another swig of ale and stumbled slightly, though he was standing still.

Ellen held her husband's gaze steadily and spoke in a normal tone. "Marriage should not be about money, Baldric. You know that, don't you? We married because we were in love, not because of how wealthy one of us was."

This only seemed to make Baldric angrier. "But this is our only chance for something like this! Sir Harold is a knight for the King! You can only imagine how much that could affect our life, in such a good way!"

Ellen was standing now. Her voice was stern as she addressed Baldric. "It seems that you have forgotten that our daughter is missing already! Every time we talk about her anymore the subject always changes to how rich we would be if she had stayed and married Harold. I can imagine why she left!"

Ellen opened her mouth to say more, but was interrupted by Baldric.

"Silence!" he roared, "That is enough! Finish cleaning those dishes, now! Without a sound, or you won't see the light of day again, do you understand?"

He raised his hand threateningly as if he was going to strike his wife, but she did not flinch. His next gulp of ale only seemed to fuel the blazing fire in his eyes. Ellen stared back defiantly for a moment before obeying her drunken spouse. He was drunk more often then not after he started gambling more money than they had at those stupid games he played with his "friends." It had gotten worse, and though they were born of noble blood, they seemed like commoners.

…

Xeryn looked out the window of Gaius' chambers and down into the castle's courtyard. The sun shined brightly on the pale gray rock, making it appear an off-white color. Courtiers and knights walked about in the courtyard among servants and handmaidens. Xeryn admired the women's long, flowing dresses. She secretly wished she could wear one. Her family had never had enough money to buy such a dress, however, as her father gambled away most of it.

A momentary fantasy unfolded in her mind: Her, in one of those fancy dresses with her hair put up in a delicate bun, with little spirals of hair protruding down from it. She was dancing in a ballroom with a tall, handsome man who twirled her around and held her close during the waltzes.

Xeryn's thoughts her interrupted by Gaius stirring in his bed behind her. He must be waking up. That made her wonder wear Merlin was. Was he still asleep? No, he was probably already going about his servant duties. Gaius snored loudly, waking himself up.

"Good morning," Xeryn said with a smile. Gaius yawned and rubbed his eyes. He stood up out of bed and stretched.

"Good morning, Xeryn," he replied, returning Xeryn's grin. "You're up a little early aren't you?"

Xeryn bit her lip. "Well," she said quickly, "I was sort of hungry, but I didn't want to wake you, so I made myself some breakfast, but I washed the dishes I used and put them back where I found them and—"

Gaius put a hand up to stop her. "Don't worry, child," he said, amused, "That's perfectly fine."

Xeryn let out a sigh of relief. She hadn't really expected Gaius to be upset, but her father would've asked her why she hadn't bothered to make the rest of her family breakfast. She nodded and returned to the window and continued to gaze out at the courtyard. Xeryn hadn't known how long she had been standing there, but when there was a knock on the door, it startled her a little.

"Come in," Gaius called, and the door opened.

A woman stepped into the room, and she was one of the most beautiful women Xeryn had ever seen. Her long, wavy dark hair was shiny and sleek, and her pale skin brought out her bright green eyes. She was so stunning, Xeryn felt like a slave in her rags.

"Ah, Lady Morgana," greeted Gaius with a small bow. "Have you come for your sleeping draft?"

Morgana smiled. "Yes, I have." She glanced at Xeryn. "And who is this?"

Xeryn bowed her head. "I am Xeryn Tarragon, my Lady. I'm pleased to meet you. I was attacked by bandits in a forest near here, and Gaius and Merlin saved me."

Morgana nodded. "That sounds just like the sort of thing Merlin would do," she said. She looked at Xeryn's clothes. "You know, I believe I have the perfect dress that would match your eyes perfectly."

Xeryn's eyes widened. "Are you talking about one of those fancy dresses the courtiers wear?" she asked excitedly.

"The same," replied Morgana.

"You would let _me_ wear one of _your_ dresses?"

"Of course," Morgana said with a wide smile. "You can't go around in rags, now, can you?"

Xeryn looked down at her tattered clothes and agreed. Gaius finished making Morgana's sleeping draft and handed it to her in a small vial.

"Take it right before bed," he instructed. Morgana thanked him gratefully and motioned Xeryn to follow her.

Xeryn followed quickly and shut the door behind her. Her mind whirled. She was being treated like a Lady, when she was practically a servant back in Orkney, though she was of noble blood. Morgana led her through the twisted castle halls, and soon Xeryn had no clue where they were.

"How come you were out in the forest?" Morgana asked politely. She spoke to Xeryn as if they were life long friends.

"Uhm, I was… I was running away from a marriage," Xeryn admitted. For some reason, it was easier to open up to Morgana. "My father wanted me to marry someone I didn't love. He only wanted me to marry him because it would bring our family great wealth and a much better status. We already had a good life, even though we were always a little short on money, but we were used to it. My mother agreed with me, but Father still insisted I got married. I could tell that he was ready to force me into it, so I left."

Morgana nodded in understanding. "No one should be forced into a marriage like that," she said sternly. "It's supposed to be about love, not rank or money."

Xeryn smiled to herself. She could recall herself and her mother saying those exact words. They echoed in her mind for a moment, and she felt slightly guilty for leaving her family for her own reasons. It made her wonder whether or not her parents had gone out searching for her yet. She hoped that if she got to stay in Camelot, she could find friends that would be as close as her mother was to her.

…

Baldric paced about, still furious with his wife.

"Where would Xeryn have gone off to?" he asked himself, emptying his mug of ale. "There are no other towns for miles around here, and she wouldn't know where the nearest one was. And Ellen isn't helping at all. She just runs her mouth all day contradicting me. Damn, if I hadn't waited an extra day to schedule the marriage, she would still be here! That stupid girl, she doesn't know what she's doing. When we get her back…" He didn't finish his sentence.

With each word he got even angrier at Ellen, and Xeryn. He slammed a fist down on the small table next to him, causing one of the legs to let out a loud cracking noise and break in half. Taking a deep breath, he strained to think of somewhere, anywhere that Xeryn would go. Then, after a long moment, it clicked. His daughter had always been attached to her family, so she wouldn't go somewhere without the chance of family being there. The only family they had left was Xeryn's brother, Cypress, who had gone off to be a knight.

She had gone to Camelot.


	4. King Uther

Butterflies fluttered in Xeryn's stomach as the Lady Morgana led her to King Uther's throne room. Morgana let her borrow a beautiful green silk dress that was the color of leaves in early spring. Xeryn took a deep breath. Morgana smiled.

"Don't worry," she reassured in a soothing voice, "All you have to do is answer Uther's questions as thoroughly as you can. Don't give him any reason to not let you stay in Camelot. I'm sure you'll be able to work as a servant or cook."

Xeryn smiled, although she was still terrified of having an audience with someone with such power. "Thank you, Morgana," she said gratefully.

Morgana stopped and opened the door for her. The butterflies in Xeryn's stomach were much stronger as she took a deep breath and made her way to King Uther's throne. Morgana took her place, standing by Prince Arthur at Uther's right side.

From one glance at Uther, Xeryn knew why people gave him the reputation they did. His eyes stared vigilantly at her, making her feel self-conscious. Morgana bowed her head slightly, giving Xeryn a silent instruction. She obliged, and dropped into a curtsy, bowing her head low.

"My Lord," Xeryn said, trying to steady her shaking voice.

Uther shifted in his throne. "You may rise," he instructed in a deep voice. "What is your name, again?"

"Xeryn Tarragon, my Lord," Xeryn replied, daring to meet his gaze.

"Ah, yes. How did you end up in Gaius' chambers so badly injured?" the King inquired.

"Well, my Lord, I was running away from my home," Xeryn said. She didn't mention her unwanted marriage, not wanting to feel ashamed.

Uther nodded once, his face stern. "Let me restate my question. Why did Gaius find a beaten, starved peasant in my forest?"

Xeryn's heart started to beat harder. The last thing she wanted was to anger the King of Camelot. "I was attacked by bandits, sir. They stole my food and money, and inflicted me with fatal wounds. If it weren't for Gaius, I wouldn't be alive."

Uther's expression did not change. "Why come to Camelot? Did you have a specific reason?"

Xeryn glanced at the floor. "A few years ago my brother, Cypress, left my home to journey to Camelot. He wanted to become a knight and serve a purpose in his life. But I never knew if he made it or not."

Prince Arthur was the one to talk next. "Father, I do have a knight by the name of Cypress. He could be Xeryn's brother."

A flame of hope flared up in Xeryn's heart. She prayed that the Cypress Arthur mentioned really was her brother. The King nodded slowly.

"Check into the matter, Arthur," he instructed his son.

"Yes, Father."

Uther looked back at Xeryn. "Since you have no money and no place to stay, Xeryn, what do you intend to do in Camelot?"

"I had originally planned to stay with my brother, had he become a knight, but now…" Xeryn hesitated. "Now, I want to ask you if I could possibly have a position in the castle. I know how to cook, clean and sew; I could be a good handmaiden."

Xeryn looked up at the King hopefully. Arthur spoke. "Father, we are going to be receiving several guests for the upcoming tournament. We'll need all the help we can get attending to their needs."

Xeryn met Arthur's gaze and smiled slightly at him, and she swore she caught a glimpse of the smallest grin on his lips as well. Uther looked thoughtful as he considered what his son had suggested. Finally, after what seemed hours of silence, he cleared his throat.

"Very well," the King proclaimed. "Xeryn can stay in the servant's quarters and work as a handmaiden for the castle's guests. If there is one complaint," he added, looking straight at Xeryn, "you will be forced to go back to your home. Is that understood, Xeryn Tarragon?"

Xeryn held his gaze steadily as she flooded with relief. She bowed her head. "Yes, Sire."

As she exited the room with Morgana, Xeryn's thoughts wandered back to when she smiled at Arthur. Did he really smile back at her. Without meaning to, she blushed at the thought. _Oh, stop it, Xeryn_, she thought to herself, _Arthur is the Prince of Camelot, and you're just a servant._


End file.
